wvhunt

I have four (I think) Tatula reels I purchased new. Three were just fine, but one straight out of the box made a terrible racket when casting. I oiled the bearing and all was well.

They’re not in the lake. It’s a gentleman’s club by the lake.

I haven’t fished there since I was a kid, have a few friends that make a trip or two there each year for strippers. I’m just over the boarder in WV, but plan to make at least one trip over there this year.

It depends upon the store. Two stores within an hours drive of me have had certain Evo rods for $32 for a few weeks now, but not all models. My local store still has all of them still at full price. The two stores with the discounted rods also had certain Abu Garcia Vendetta rods marked down to $36, but again not all the models.

I grew up with the belief that I needed an ultralight rod for small fish, a heavy rod for catfish, and another rod for everything else. It was until the internet came around that I learned about all the technique specific rods, lines, etc. I'm still pretty much "light poles, medium poles, and heavy poles", but I just have a lot more of them now

I had big problems with wind knots last year when using braid on my spinning reels. Perhaps it was poor technique on my part or the very windy lake I fished a lot last year. I'll probably spool at least one up with braid and give it a shot this year as well.

Silicon spray works. I've also used chapstick in a pinch and it helps. Even rubbing pencil lead (graphite) on the zipper will smooth it up.

I generally use the 701MFS more, but really haven't used it for the super light baits so can't really give you a good answer. The 711MLFS gets the Ned rig use.

I've never really used a power hookset, but a friend of mine does the huge power hookset. Several years ago we took a float trip in a canoe. The entire day I was afraid he was going to turn us over every time he got a bite.

I'd never loosed a drag in my life, but started doing it when I winterized my boat each year after reading somewhere that it was recommended.

I've used the cheap Strike King KVD ones for various size split rings with good results.

That was my first thought when I saw them.

I'll buck the system and say no color or clear. I've had good luck with various clear topwater lures over the years.

I use a lot of the Walmart ones as well. Loosing a $1.00 doesn't make me cry like some of the more expensive ones would I like a curly tailed grub or worm as a trailer.

Several years ago a friend of mine dropped a custom rod and nice reel in the lake. He tied a large treble hook on another pole and kept dragging the area till he finally snagged it. I would thought it was a lost cause.